Sophia’s voice rose, a bitter edge creeping into her words. “I never wanted any of this!” she cried, her words laced with anger and grief. “I would have been better off without Don and his stupid mafia family!”
Luca’s expression hardened, his hand tightening into a fist. “How dare you speak that way about Don?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Sophia, her face twisted with rage, spat out a bitter laugh. “What, is he a saint now that he’s dead?”
Luca, his face flushed with rage, lunged forward, his hand connecting with Sophia’s cheek in a powerful blow.
“You will not insult Don’s memory!” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Sophia, her face stinging from the blow, raised her hand to her cheek, her voice defiant and angry. “He was a monster, Luca! He didn’t care about anything but power and money!”
Luca, his face a mask of rage, struck Sophia again, his fists raining down on her body.
“How dare you speak that way about him?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Sophia, her body shaking with pain and fear, curled into a ball, her voice shaking with anger and despair. “He ruined my life, Luca!” she sobbed, her words a bitter cry of anguish. “He ruined everything!”
Luca, his body aching with rage and sorrow, stood over Sophia’s shaking form, his eyes blazing with fury and pain.
“He gave us everything!” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “He made us what we are!”
Sophia, her body trembling with fear and despair, shook her head, her words a whispered plea. “He took everything from me,” she whispered, her voice breaking with grief. “He took my life, Luca.”
Luca, his body tense with rage and grief, turned away from Sophia, his fists clenched at his sides.
“Don was our leader,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “He was our father. You will not dishonor him like this.”
Sophia, her body aching with pain and sorrow, sat up, her words a desperate plea. “Please, Luca,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight anymore.”
Luca, his expression still hard with rage and pain, turned back to Sophia, his eyes fixed on her tear-stained face.
“You will show respect to Don’s memory,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Or you will be punished.”
Sophia, her body shaking with fear and sorrow, nodded, her voice a quiet whisper. “I will show respect,” she murmured, her eyes downcast. “Please, Luca. I beg you. Don’t hurt me anymore.”
Luca, his rage overwhelming him, lunged forward, his fists raining down on Sophia’s body with a savage, animalistic ferocity.
Sophia, her body writhing in pain, cried out as each blow landed, her voice a mix of pain and fear. “Please, Luca!” she sobbed, her voice breaking. “I’m sorry! I won’t say anything else!”
But Luca’s rage was beyond reason, his fists pounding into Sophia’s flesh with a brutal, relentless rhythm.
As the beating continued, Sophia’s body shuddered with each blow, her sobs mixing with the sound of Luca’s savage breathing and the dull, sickening thuds of his fists.
Finally, his rage spent, Luca stood over Sophia’s beaten, sobbing form, his eyes glinting with a mixture of satisfaction and regret.
“You will show respect,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Or I will not hesitate to punish you again.”
Sophia, her body aching with pain and despair, nodded, her voice a whispered murmur.
Luca, his expression a mask of cold, dangerous calculation, surveyed the damage he had wrought.
“You’re not leaving this room until you understand,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “I will not have you dishonoring Don’s memory.”
Sophia, her body bruised and battered, nodded weakly, her voice a tremulous whisper. “Yes, Luca,” she whispered, her words a broken plea for mercy. “I understand.”
Luca, his expression still hard with anger and regret, gently lifted Sophia from the bed, his arms supporting her bruised and battered body as he carried her to the bathroom.
As he gently bathed her, his hands gentle and caring despite the anger still coursing through his veins, he whispered a quiet apology. “I’m sorry, Sophia,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. “I didn’t mean to hurt you so badly.”
Sophia, her body aching with pain and sorrow, nodded, her voice a whispered murmur of acceptance.
As Luca finished bathing Sophia, he gently dried her body, his hands lingering on her skin with a tenderness that belied the violence he had inflicted earlier.
“You must show respect,” he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. “Or there will be consequences.”
Sophia, her body trembling with a mixture of fear and relief, nodded, her voice a trembling whisper. “I will show respect, Luca,” she murmured. “I promise.”
With a nod of approval, Luca led Sophia back to the bedroom, where he gently applied oil to her skin, his hands working over her bruised and battered body with a gentleness that seemed to soften his earlier anger.
“You were always Don’s favorite,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. “He would have wanted you to show respect.”
Sophia, her body still sore and trembling, nodded, her voice a whispered promise. “I will show respect, Luca,” she whispered. “For Don’s memory.”
As Luca finished applying the oil, he met Sophia’s gaze, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and regret.
“I loved him,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “I will not have his memory sullied by anyone.”
Sophia, her body aching with pain and sorrow, nodded, her voice a whispered murmur. “I understand, Luca,” she whispered. “I won’t dishonor Don’s memory.”
With a nod of approval, Luca turned away, his footsteps echoing in the room as he left Sophia alone in the darkness.
As he made his way to his own quarters, his mind filled with memories of Don, his mentor and surrogate father, the grief and rage inside him intensified, his chest tightening with a strange, suffocating pain.
As he sat on the edge of his bed, the tears finally came, spilling from his eyes in silent, wracking sobs.
“I miss you, Don,” he whispered, his voice a hoarse murmur of loss and pain.
As Luca sobbed, his hands clenched into fists of pain and grief, the memories of Don came flooding back, each one more vivid and painful than the last.
The gruff, affectionate way he had spoken, his voice a warm rumble of approval and encouragement.
The way he had taken Luca in, giving him a purpose and a family when he had none.
The way he had looked at Luca, his eyes filled with pride and affection, his face twisted with a mixture of emotion and strength.